
Class 
Book 



SRf if , 



C&f. 



Copyright^ . 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



CLEFT GRAFTING 



CHARLES O. COUTS, 

NEWCOMERSTOWN, OHIO. 



ILLUSTRATED. 



FIRST EDITION. 



1910. 









"COPYRIGHT, 1910, 

by 

CHARLES O. GOUTS.* 



©CI.A261618 



PREFACE 



"Come, let us plant the apple tree. 
Cleave the tough greensward with the spade ; 
Wide let its hollow bed be made ; 
There gently lay the roots, and there 
Sift the dark mold with kindly care, 
And press it o'er them tenderly." 

THE apple is one of our oldest and 
best fruits. It is mentioned in the 
Bible, and by Herodotus and Pliny, and 
other ancient writers. Whatever be its 
parent country, it was doubtless of east- 
ern origin. Many varieties were culti- 
vated about Rome, and they usually bore 
the names of those who originated or 
grafted them. Probably the Romans in- 
troduced the apple into England as well 
as the year, but the early chronicles are 
silent as to its subsequent history in that 
country until after the establishment of 
Christianity, when the monks and heads 
of religious houses planted orchards, and 



Cleft Grafting. 



henceforth the fruit became common. 
The early settlers of America brought 
apple trees over with them, and an island 
in Boston harbor where they were first 
planted still bears their name. The In- 
dians helped to spread the fruit through 
the country, and Indian orchards were 
common throughout New England. The 
first nurseries in the Ohio Valley were 
planted by John Chapman, familiarly 
known as "Johnny Appleseed," who 
spent several years of his life in that 
business. 

New and choice varieties of apples 
are obtained by planting the seed, and 
only about one in 10,000 of the resulting 
trees will prove better than the original ; 
hence when a desirable kind is once ob- 
tained it can be continued or reproduced 
by grafting. The apple tree is slow in 
growth, and its fruitage can be obtained 
much quicker by grafting than in any 
other way, as the grafting of new and 



Preface. 



vigorous stock on the parent tree seems 
to impart new vigor and vitality. 

The apple has now become of great 
commercial importance. Its juice and 
pulp are known to be healthy and nutri- 
tious, and the constantly increasing de- 
mand and high prices paid for choice 
varieties have stimulated fruit-raisers to 
bestow more care and attention on their 
orchards than formerly. Science and ex- 
perience have taught the fruit grower 
that he cannot any more expect to gather 
fine fruit from old, stunted and worthless 
trees than he can expect to gather grapes 
from thorns or figs from thistles. 

As the author resides in a fruit grow- 
ing district and shares in the common in- 
terest felt in fruit growing, and believing 
that cleft grafting is the surest and most 
expeditious way of producing good fruit, 
he has thought that that branch of the 
subject, if clearly explained and illus- 
trated, might be of practical benefit to 



Cleft Grafting. 



fruit growers. This consideration has 
induced him to embody the results of his 
observation and experience in this little 
book, which is now submitted for their 
perusal. If it shall contribute in any 
way to promote its object the purpose of 
the author will be fully attained. 

Charles O. Couts. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Preliminary Remarks 9 

Uses and Objects of Grafting 11 

Kinds of Cleft Grafting 14 

Double Grafting 14 

Plants That Unite by Grafting 15 

Cleft Grafting 17 

Grafting Knife (illustrated) 21 

Making the Cleft (illustrated) 23 

Wedge Inserted in Cleft (illustrated) 25 

Scions (illustrated) 27 

Scions Inserted in Cleft (illustrated).... 29 

Stock Holding Scions in Place (illust'ed) 31 

Stock Waxed (illustrated) 33 

Pruning Saw (illustrated) 35 

When to Graft 37 

When to Cut Scions 38 

Grafting Wax 40 

Home Grown Apple Seedlings 41 

Orchard Suggestions 42 

Pruning 46 



Preliminary Remarks. 



NOTHING is as valuable as practical 
experience, but a man cannot afford 
to spend his life in making experiments 
that other men have made before him 
and the results of which he should know. 
The propagation of fruit is its reproduc- 
tion by natural or artificial means. 

A knowledge of these means is of great 
importance to agriculturists of all classes, 
and especially to those engaged in the 
raising of different fruits. 

There are, for instance, so many bene- 
fits to be gained by the local production 
of nursery stock that fruit growers can- 
not afford to neglect this art. 

Scions from trees thoroughly ac- 
climated can be obtained; the young 
stock will not be forced to suffer the 
shock of a long transportation and a 
change of climate, and the orchardist can 
have his trees grown from scions of his 
favorite trees. 



Cleft Grafting. 



Cleft-grafting is such a simple process 
when one understands it that it is strange 
why more of the seedling trees and un- 
desirable varieties are not changed to 
profitable ones. 

Often the natural growing trees of a 
locality can be utilized for that purpose. 

For example, the best plum trees for 
certain localities are obtained by top- 
working the common wild plum. And 
the native chestnuts make the best stocks 
upon which to graft such improved va- 
rieties as Paragon or Humbo. 

Slender growing varieties of apples, 
such as Wealthy, Oldenburg, Gill or 
Esopus, make a more vigorous growth 
when top-worked upon some more 
growthy varieties. 

If the grafting is properly done the 
cambium cells, or callus spreads outward 
and covers the wound, making a firm 
union. 



10 



Uses and Objects of Grafting. 



GRAFTING serves a variety of pur- 
poses, among which are : 

To change the size of trees, to make 
them more dwarf. 

To restore lost or defective branches. 

To save girdled trees. 

To change an undesirable or unknown 
variety into one or more desirable ones. 

To oreserve and multiply varieties that 
cannot be preserved or multiplied by 
growing them from their seeds. 

To hasten the flowering or fruiting of 
seedlings grown with a view to improv- 
ing varieties ; in this way new varieties 
may be developed. 

To avoid insect injury to the trunk or 
roots, as in grafting the peach on the 
plum, or the European grape on the 
American. 

Wild grape vines may be grafted by 
sawing off the stock near the ground and 
inserting scions in the cleft. 

11 



Cleft Grafting. 



Wet clay should be banked over end of 
stock after it is waxed. 

Our improved varieties make a very 
heavy growth if grafted on a strong root. 

This applies to most varieties of fruit. 
If they are seedlings we are uncertain 
what kind of trees we shall have. 

For this reason grafting is often re- 
sorted to as more expedient in changing 
to a desirable variety than growing new 
trees. 

Very often there are desirable varieties 
of fruit in localities, which we are unable 
to obtain from nurseries, hence we must 
resort to grafting to preserve them. 

Some varieties will not do well on their 
own roots in certain soils. 

They may not be adapted to the soil ; 
this may be overcome by grafting them 
upon the kind which does well in that 
region. 

Have not many trees which have been 
purchased of nurseries proved to be un- 

12 



Uses and Objects of Grafting. 

profitable, either from not being adapted 
to the locality, or by not being true to 
name? Why not graft them with fruit 
of your own choice, from your own or 
your neighbor's orchard? The task is 
neither diffcult nor requires much time. 

If you depend on some one to do your 
grafting you may not get it done at the 
best time or in the best way. You can do 
it while you wait. 

A top-grafted tree will bear in three or 
four years, if thrifty, and three or more 
inches in diameter at but when grafted. 

There are few orchards that have not 
a number of such trees which should be 
grafted. 

Top-working undesirable trees with a 
good variety is a paying investment. 



Kinds of Cleft Grafting. 



THERE are four different methods of 
cleft-grafting, according to the po- 
sition of the scions on the tree, to-wit : 

First. If on the root, it is called root- 
grafting. 

Second. At the surface of the ground, 
crown-grafting. 

Third. On the stem, the scions may 
be set anywhere along the steam and it is 
stem-grafting. 

Fourth. In the top or branches of the 
tree, top-grafting. 

Double Grafting. 

Double-grafting is grafting upon a 
grafted tree and is used to secure a top 
which will not unite with the root, which 
some other variety will. 

Double-grafting may also be used to 
secure some characteristic of root trunk 
or framework. 



14 



Plants That Unite by Grafting. 



N 



OT all fruits can be intergrafted. 
There must be a relation between 
stock and scion. 

In general plants of the same species 
but of different varieties may be inter- 
grafted, as any variety of apple, plum or 
pear, upon another. (Which is- most 
commonly practiced.) 

Plants of the same genus but of dif- 
ferent species will almost always unite 
also. 

The apple, pear and quince, or the 
cherry, plum and peach may be inter- 
grafted. 

And sometimes plants of different 
genera may be grafted together, as ap- 
ples or pears on thorns, or oak on chest- 
nut ; also occasionally plants of different 
families are made to unite. 

The apparent resemblance of two 
plants of different species is not always 
evidence that they will unite. 

15 



Cleft Grafting. 



Many plants unite freely when grafted 
in one direction, that fail to unite when 
worked in the opposite direction. 

The only certain way to determine 
what plants will unite is by careful trials. 



16 



Cleft Grafting. 



THE following explanation of graft- 
ing is intended to aid the amateur 
rather than the expert. 

The limb to be grafted is sawed off 
squarely and split in the center (care 
should be taken that the bark be not 
loosened from any portion of the stock 
when sawing it off), the cleft being made 
two or three inches long, according to 
the size of the stock and scions. 

This is best made with the knife shown 
(see cut, page 21), specially made for 
this purpose. 

No mallet is needed ; the cleft can be 
easily made with the knife (see cut, 
page 23). The wedge, which is on the 
end of the stem, can be inserted in the 
center of the cleft to hold it open (see 
cut, page 25). 

Cut the scions with two buds on each, 
and cut their bases to a sharp, even 
wedge, slightly thicker at the outside 

17 



Cleft Grafting. 



( see cut, page 27, Fig". 1 ) . ( Fig. 2 is in- 
side of scion.) It is a good plan to cut 
the scions so that the lowest bud will 
come just at the top of this wedge, in 
order that it be near the top of the stock. 

This wedge should be at least an inch 
long; now insert in the cleft (see cut, 
page 29), so that the thick side of the 
wedge is to the outside and that it sets 
just a trifle within the cleft, as the bark 
is thickest on the stock, and this will 
bring the cambium layers in contact, 
which is the particular part of grafting. 
The sap of the scion and stock must be 
put together. See that all the cut surface 
of the scions is within the cleft. 

Carefully remove the wedge ; the 
spring of the stock will hold the scions 
firmly in place (see cut, page 31). Wax 
the end of the stock carefully about the 
base of the scions and down the edges of 
the cleft, covering all cut surfaces (see 
cut, page 33). 



Cleft Grafting. 



If the tree is too large to graft when 
standing on the ground, get in the top 
and go out on the limbs where they are 
about one or one and a half inches in 
diameter and saw them off. 

About half of the top should be 
grafted. 

The more or less horizontal branches 
should generally be selected for grafting. 

Choose the smoothest limbs, omitting 
the less thrifty inside branches, and be- 
ing careful to leave enough limbs to keep 
up the growth of the tree. 

When the limbs to be grafted are 
sawed off, a number of scions may then 
be trimmed ready for use. 

Commence setting scions in the top to 
avoid displacing them. 

As growth starts, sucker sprouts from 
the stock must be lopped off at intervals 
during the summer to. throw growth into 
scions. 

Each spring following, cut thrifty 

19 



Cleft Grafting. 



growing scions back about half way, for 
two or more years. 

The spring following the grafting, all 
of the branches left on the tree when 
grafted should be sawed off, to encour- 
age growth of the scions. 

But if the tree is large and a vigorous 
variety, it is wise to leave a part of these 
branches until the second spring. 

With a little practice any one can learn 
how to proceed for the best results. 

A man must use his own judgment to 
suit each case, from his general knowl- 
edge of tree growth. 

If both the scions in a branch or stock 
grow, the weaker one should be sawed 
off later, when the stock is healed over. 

An eighteen-inch pruning saw should 
be used for sawing off the stock or limbs 
which are to be grafted. (See cut, 
page 35-) 



20 



Grafting Knife (patented) 




N 



21 



Making the Cleft. 




Wedge Inserted in Cleft. 




25 



Scions. 




27 



Scions Inserted in Cleft. 




29 



Stock holding Scions in Place. 




31 



Stock Waxed. 




33 



Pruning Saw. 




35 






When to Graft. 



THE grafting of plum, cherry, pear, 
apple and similar trees, can be clone 
successfully any time from March until 
June, but during warm days in April 
when the buds begin to swell is prefer- 
able. 

It is usually most successful when 
performed just before or during the re- 
sumption of active growth in spring. 

This occurs early in the plum and 
cherry and later in the pear and apple. 

The operation depends upon the fact 
that two live portions of cambium from 
trees closely related will unite when 
placed in intimate relation with each 
other, and the shoot growing from the 
scion thus inserted is of the same kind as 
the tree from which the scion was taken. 

Trees should be grafted as soon as 
they are known to be not what is wanted. 

Small trees from two to four inches in 
diameter at but aie much easier grafted 
than larger ones, and usually give better 
results. 



^7 



When to Cut Scions. 



SCIONS are usually cut in February 
or March, during mild weather when 
they are not frozen ; they should be 
labeled and stored away until needed for 
use, in a cool cellar, packed in moist saw- 
dust, moss or leaves. 

It will do in some seasons as late as 
the middle of April, any time before the 
buds swell much. 

Some prefer cutting them in the fall, 
after the leaves have fallen, but before 
severe freezing begins. 

They should not be left so moist as to 
cause swelling of the buds or the forma- 
tion of callus, nor so dry as to cause 
shriveling. 

They should be taken from trees of 
known good qualities ; some bear better 
fruit than others of the same variety, and 
by grafting from these peculiar trees we 
may greatly improve well known varie- 
ties. 



When to Cut Scions. 



Thrifty growths of the previous year 
should be cut, as shown by the color of 
the bark, and the last ring denoting the 
position of last year's bud scales. Avoid 
water sprouts and weak growths in se- 
lecting scions. 

It is best to take them from the top of 
the tree, taking only the largest shoots 
and discarding the tops of these. 



39 



Grafting Wax. 



THIS wax is prepared as follows : 
Take seven parts rosin, by weight; 
five parts yellow beeswax, by weight ; 
three parts tallow, by weight. Put rosin 
and beeswax in a vessel with some water, 
and boil slowly until all is melted. Then 
add the tallow and continue to boil slow- 
ly until it foams and begins to raise in 
the vessel (stirring all the time), then 
pour into a vessel of cold water, and in 
a few moments it can be thoroughly 
worked with the hands by greasing them 
with a little tallow. 

Some prefer getting leaf tallow and 
rendering it themselves to have it fresh. 

If a harder wax is wanted use 

Ten parts rosin 8 

Five parts beeswax. ... 4 
Two parts tallow 2 

Caution — Be careful not to allow it to 
boil over as it is verv inflammable. 



40 



Home Grown Apple Seedlings. 



IF you wish to grow apple seedlings, get 
pomace from the cider mill when it 
comes from the press. If it heats the 
seeds will not grow. Open trenches in 
well prepared soil with a shovel plow 
about three feet apart. Scatter the 
pomace thickly in the rows and cover 
very lightly, or take fresh pomace, pre- 
ferably of Philip Sweet or Northern Spy 
apples, they being the most thrifty. Wash 
the seeds free and put them in an earthen 
jar and set in cellar, taking care to keep 
them moist and not to allow them to be- 
come dry or to mold. By early garden 
making time sow in rows convenient for 
cultivation. 



41 



Orchard Suggestions. 



THE apple is the leading money-mak- 
ing orchard crop of America, the 
fruit of fruits. 

There is never an over-supply of good 
apples. The over-supply is of poor fruit. 

It generally takes a young apple or- 
chard from six to twelve years, accord- 
ing to variety, before profitable returns 
can be obtained, but when once bearing it 
will bring good returns for many years. 

Select the best paying varieties and not 
have too many kinds. 

There are hundreds of varieties of 
apples. 

You can have varieties that ripen con- 
tinuously, from the earliest to the latest. 

One of the most important features in 
starting a first-class apple orchard is to 
select the varieties best suited to your lo- 
cality. 

It is not advisable to plant a solid block 

42 



Orchard Suggestions. 



of one variety ; some varieties are self- 
fertile and will give satisfactory results 
if planted alone ; but it is safer to pro- 
vide for cross-fertilization by planting at 
least every third or fourth row with a 
different variety. 

The fruit grower or general farmer 
usually buys his stock from a nursery al- 
ready grafted, but many fruit growers 
claim that in planting an apple orchard 
much better results may be obtained by 
setting out good, thrifty trees and top- 
working them, than by planting the de- 
sired varieties as they come from the 
nursery. There are several reasons for 
this. One is that some varieties are made 
more hardy. Some kinds, for instance, 
are subject to a disease which attacks 
the trees near the roots and kills them. 
By grafting such a variety on vigorous, 
hardy stock a strong body is secured 
which is immune to the disease. Much 
longer lived trees are thus obtained. 



Cleft Grafting. 



Another advantage is that we get trees 
that are earlier in coming into bearing 
than by taking them as they come from 
the nursery. 

Some trees commence bearing at an 
earlier age than others of the same va- 
riety ; some have fruit of a better qual- 
ity ; some are more vigorous than others, 
and more symmetrical in form. 

By taking scions from a tree pos- 
sessing the most perfect qualities in all 
of these particulars, and working them 
onto stock that is hardy and vigorous, we 
are combining the most essential charac- 
teristics and are certain to secure the 
most desirable trees obtainable. 

In working over trees in large quanti- 
ties, as nurserymen do, it is hardly feasi- 
ble for them to select all of their scions 
with the necessary care and discrimina- 
tion, and were one of them to undertake 
to do this he would necessarily be obliged 
to demand a higher price for his trees, 

44 



Orchard Suggestions, 



and then the fellow who sold his trees at 
the lowest price would capture the sales 
regardless of quality or pedigree. 

Farmers should give more attention 
to the planting and care of their or- 
chards. No fruit known can take the 
place of the apple as a food product. 

In its numerous varieties, its seasons 
of maturity extend throughout the year. 

As a culinary fruit few equals and 
none excels it. 

The apple is the finest and most useful 
fruit grown and deserves and will well 
repay all the care given it. 



45 



Pruning. 

PRUNING should be done toward the 
end of the dormant period, in early 
spring, because healing- is most rapid at 
the beginning of the growing season. 

The wounds dry and check when the 
pruning is done before severe freezing is 
over, and pruning when the leaves are 
on, or when the trees are in bloom, will 
induce fruitfulness for the present year 
at the expense of the tree. Either ex- 
treme is robbing the tree of much vital- 
ity, except when rejuvenating old or- 
chards. 

Before commencing to prune a tree an 
experienced primer will look it over and 
adapt his methods to the needs of that 
particular tree and decide what treatment 
it needs. 

We should get it fixed in our minds 
why we prune. We prune to modify the 
vigor of the plant, to produce larger and 

46 



Pruning. 



better fruit, to train the tree to some de- 
sired form. 

The habit of the tree must be taken 
into consideration when pruning, and 
such pruning given as will retain the 
natural habit of the tree and remedy its 
defects. 

If heavy pruning is practiced at long 
intervals, the balance between root and 
top is disturbed, the roots supplying 
more food than the top can utilize, hence 
water sprouts are formed. Light prun- 
ing every year does not do this. 

The annual trimming of fruit trees will 
stimulate the growth of fruit spurs and 
off trees can be made to bear more regu- 
larly. 

Trees expected to support heavy crops 
of fruit or to endure high winds, should 
have branches developed with special 
reference to strength. Several small 
branches are better able to endure the 
strain than a few large ones. 



47 



Cleft Grafting. 



Heading-in or cutting-back induces 
fruitfulness by checking long growth and 
causing the formation of short lateral 
fruit-bearing branches. 

The greatest mistake in pruning is 
usually made in cutting off the branch. 
It is invariably cut too far from its 
origin. The cut should be made as close 
as possible to the trunk of the tree. 

A wound at this point will be larger, 
but will heal over sooner ; food in pass- 
ing the cambium layer is constantly pass- 
ing the wound and pushes out callus 
over it. 

All limbs cut off that are two inches or 
more in diameter should be painted with 
white lead and oil, about twice the con- 
sistency of house paint. 



48 



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